The Irish standard., 1887-06-11

her attachment towards him seemed
boundiess. In speaking privately of
his fate, she states that, after passing
through all the horrors of the revolu-
tion, no blow fell heavier upon her than
the execution of the brave soldier by the
restored monarchy.
The Citizen Genet, learning that the
frigate sent to reconvey him home after
his recall had been supplied with a
portable guillotine wherewith to operate
upon his neck as soon as she reached
beyond our national Jurisdiction, very
automatically declined return pas
sage. and to prevent possibility Of being
kidnapped placed himself Under the
protection of Governor George Clinton,
while he took measures to become a
naturalized citizen. So thoroughly did
he announce his allegiance to the land
of his nativity that he refrained, when.
ever possible, from use Of it's vernacu-
lar, and forbid his children from seek
ing instructions in it.
Marrying Miss Caroline Clinton,
daughter of the first Governor of New
York, Genet took an active part in
politics, strongly antagonistic to the
Federalists, while devoting his leisure
to scientific and literary researches.
By Miss Clinton the Citizen Genet had
one son-the late General Genet-and
two daughters, one of the venerable
Mrs. Van Rensselaer,, Of Greenbush,
still living, while by his second wife,
daughter of Mr.. Osgood, Washington's
Postmaster General, he left two sons,
both at this moment resident at their
country seats in the vicinity of Albany.
Hence it will be seen that at the mo-
ment OF his pretended evasion Of death
Marshal Ney would have found in
America score Of relatives only too
happy to afford him an asylum with
ample means to provide him with
home well be6tting his social dignity.
Ney's real offense: No rational be-
ing could be found in France for the
last half century to doubt that Marshal
Ney was the victim of a military exc
cution, but there were many well-in-
formed persons who would affirm that
his disloyalty to the restored monarchy
was a hollow pretense to deprive him of
his life. although undoubtedly, Louis
XVIII, the weak, cravenly and un-
scrupulous Count de Provence, who had
prior to the revolution prostituted the
law courts to rob the son of Paris, the
banker, of his marquisate of Brunoy,
entertained no feelings of compassion
for any opponents of royalty: Marshal
Ney fell victim not only to royal ven
geance but to military prejudice, the
Imperialists believing him to have been
the real cause Of the overwhelming de-
feat at Waterloo, and consequently,
consistently with French logic, he, like
Marshals Marmont and Bazaine, must
have been traitor. Ney had been Or
dered to attack upon June Is, with his
entire division, the allies under the
Prince of Orange, afterward the King
of Holland, at Quatre Bras, conceived
to be a position capture of which would
prevent possibility of a junction be.
tween the English and Prussians. Ney
followed his orders: meeting with three
heroic resistance until the arrival of
three thousand English soldiers under
Sir Thomas Picton, who not only re-
PEELED the attack Of the flower of the
French army but held his ground
against tremendous odds. This prelude
to the decisive battle of the 18th utterly
deranged all of Napoleon's plans. and
.Ney was held by his admirers as ac-
countable for the disaster at Waterloo.